‘Malawi working on new development master plan’

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Atupele Muluzi says the country is set to develop a national master plan for all development projects to bring sanity, especially in cities, towns and districts.

Speaking on the sidelines of a parliamentary population development dialogue in Lilongwe last week, the minister said it is high time the country adopted a new master plan as the one in use is outdated.

He said: “We are still using the old master plan to plan our cities and districts. This affects population planning that is why there is no sanity in the way things are being done now. We would like to bring an end to this and make use of the master plan for a good planning in our nation.”

Muluzi said with the outdated planning people are erecting structures wherever and how ever they want.

Former vice-president Khumbo Kachali, who is Mzimba South West member of Parliament (MP), said it is high time government introduced the master plan.

He said the situation the country is in leaves a lot to be desired.

Said Kachali: “There is need for this master plan to be effective. We are still using the 1980s planning. No wonder we have hospitals, schools and churches where they are not supposed to be. When will government start working on something to improve this?”

Malawi is currently facing pressure on land resources due to high urbanisation which has impacted the population distribution and infrastructure development.